BEIRUT — A Lebanese newspaper on Thursday said the global financial crisis coupled with Israeli war threats have derailed its hosting of a world gathering of newspaper executives and editors planned for next month.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers said that the World Newspaper Conference that was to be held in Beirut from June 7-10 was canceled because Lebanese host An-Nahar was not able to provide the agreed funding for the event.

An-Nahar said Thursday it deeply regretted the cancellation. It said the global financial crisis and repeated Israeli war threats against Lebanon "scared away" advertisers and sponsors of the event.